Overall Member Rating

Carnival Valor - Eastern Caribbean

This was our seventh cruise, and first with Carnival. Having heard both good and bad about Carnival, my wife and I decided to see for ourselves what a "Fun Ship" was like. We had previously cruised with NCL, Disney, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. After cruising on the Valor, Carnival is top of the list in every category.

Embarkation -- Living locally, we drove to the Port of Miami, arriving a little after noon. The first line was very long, taking about forty minutes to get through. The second line is the first of many tourist pictures Carnival wants to sell you. You don't have to get your picture taken, if you don't want to. There is then a very short third line to get your Sign and Sale cards. The last step is a Carnival representative who makes sure all is in order. Then you get your security picture taken, and you're ready to cruise. The whole process took about an hour. A suggestion here would be to get to the port around 10:30, or after 1:30, and the lines won't More
be as long. Note to Carnival: Get everything done in one line, the way Royal Caribbean does, and the embarkation process would be a lot smoother. Service and our Cabin -- The service was first rate. Franklin, our steward, was very friendly. He was attentive to our needs, yet respectful of our privacy. Having our first balcony-cabin 6399 on the Upper Deck-was a new experience. The saying that, once you have a balcony cabin you'll never want anything else, is true. You don't have to go on deck to see the ports or the ocean. The cabin was very spacious with plenty of closet space. You don't have too bring hangars because Carnival gives you plenty. Carnival's new beds, pillows, and linens are as comfortable as advertised. We ordered breakfast from Room Service twice. It arrived exactly when requested with the hot food hot, and the cold food cold.

Food -- The dining experience was great. Hernando, our waiter, and his assistant Theresa were very efficient, and friendly. The food was great, and the potions were ample, cooked exactly as requested. We had table 524 in the Washington dining room with a huge picture window. Our table mates were from Montana, Georgia, and Florida. We got along great, even exchanging email addresses on the last night. On the Lido Deck 9 was Rosies, the buffet dining on the ship. There were plenty of choices for breakfast, with the exception of my favorite, smoked salmon. The smoked salmon available only with room service, or in the dining room. There were different food choices for lunch and dinner, depending on which side of Rosies you were on.

Also for lunch was a sandwich bar, with hot and cold sandwiches, and a small oriental restaurant. Outside, by the adult pool, was a grill, featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, and minute steak. There was also a pizzeria serving pizzas and calzones. On deck 10, above Rosies was the fish and chips emporium.

Entertainment -- The entertainment is awesome. The stage shows, especially Far From Over. were the best we have ever seen on any cruise we've been on. There was a break dancing duet called G-Force, and they are a must see. We frequented the karaoke in the Eagles Lounge and danced to a rock band in Paris Hot. We never got to the Piano Bar, but heard it was great The Legends show, with characters chosen from karaoke, was enjoyable. The comedians were OK, with the midnight shows sometimes getting a little too personal.. The on board activities had something for everyone. We participated in the Trivia contest and the Battle of the Sexes. Both were a lot of fun. The Newlywed and not so Newlywed game, one our cruising favorites, was a riot. I should also note here that the crew was always friendly and helpful. That is part of what Carnival is all about; good service, good food, great entertainment, plenty to do, and a great crew.

We've been to the ports- Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten before. We just did a little shopping and spent the rest of our port time relaxing on the ship. Because we wanted to be off the ship first, we took our own luggage off the ship as soon as Customs cleared it. We were off the ship at 7:30, cruised through customs, and were in our car and headed home by 8:00. It was a lot faster than leaving our luggage outside the night before, waiting in the morning for our deck to be called, and then finding our luggage among endless numbers of suitcases. The choice here is yours.

Conclusion -- I have read, from some people on this site, and others, about how the food, service and entertainment on Carnival ships is average at best. That is simply not true.. I can only say that this was our best cruise, and we would definitely choose Carnival again. No cruise is perfect, and sometimes you put up with minor inconveniences. I can only tell you that, if you pick Carnival, you wont be disappointed. Less